The Almost Family Christmas
by watram
Summary: "Why are they sitting under the tree?" Luke frowned at Rory and Jess. "We're pretending to be presents," Jess gave his uncle an eye roll. Rory/Jess/Lorelai/Luke and season 3 Christmas fluff.


A/N: I'm a little late, I know. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoy the rest of the holidays! Here is a little Rory/Jess/Lorelai/Luke season 3 Christmas goodness for you. Oh, and go read Miss Goalie's latest Christmas one-shot if you haven't yet!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls or Christmas.

* * *

"Mom," Rory Gilmore said, plopping on her mother's bed on Christmas morning. "Santa was here," she grinned and shook her mother's arm.

Lorelai stirred and groaned. "Child, if there was any reason why I was looking forward to you growing up, that was because I was hoping you would not wake me up this early every Christmas just to tell me that."

"Face it, it wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't."

"You're right," the mother mumbled into her pillow.

"Are you going to get up? I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that could find something under that tree."

This caused Lorelai to sit up rapidly and grin at her daughter. "You mean you saw presents for me, too?"

"Yes," Rory rolled her eyes.

"Let's go!"

The elder Gilmore jumped out of the bed and raced down the stairs while the younger one followed. As she entered the living room, Lorelai gasped theatrically, looking at the tree, and wrapped an arm around Rory's shoulder.

"Merry Christmas, sweets."

"Merry Christmas to you too, Mom."

"It looks pretty, doesn't it?"

"It does," Rory agreed with a genuine smile.

"It's almost a shame to end the anticipation and open all those presents."

"Yeah right, I give you five seconds before you throw yourself at them."

Lorelai's eyes widened. "I _will not_ throw myself at them!" she exclaimed, faking outrage and proceeded to sit down on the couch, her arms wrapped around herself; purposely looking away from the nicely wrapped packages.

"Okay then, we can talk," Rory said, looking at her mother with amusement and sat down next to her.

"Don't we talk all the time?"

"We do, but I have something in particular to talk about."

"Shoot."

"I invited Jess to come over this afternoon."

"Oh... okay."

"Okay?"

"Well, not really, but I don't want to upset you first thing on Christmas morning, reminding you that Christmas day is traditionally a family affair and we spend it together, just the two of us."

"So is Thanksgiving, but we still ate with Jess and Luke. And it was fun, remember?"

"After it stopped being awkward, honey."

"Well, it won't be today," Rory said in a pleading tone. "We'll watch some Christmas movies, he'll join us in the mocking – and believe me, Jess is an excellent mocker – and we'll eat, we'll listen to all the cheesy Christmas songs, it'll be nice."

Lorelai eyed her daughter carefully. "Question."

"Yeah?"

"Isn't this a little early? You've only been dating for a month and a half."

"I know. But we were talking about Christmas and he was being all Grinchy and I ended up inviting him to show him that holidays can be fun." She paused for a few seconds and looked down onto her lap. "He just didn't have much of Christmas at home over the last few years. And now he lives with Luke, and Luke tries, but he's still, you know... Luke."

"Luke is Luke, got it."

"Did I tell you that he came to me the other day, asking me what book Jess might like to get?" Rory grinned.

"Aww. Seriously?"

"Yup. How cute is that?"

"Pretty cute. But beware - you are becoming _the_ woman in the Danes-Mariano household. Today you give gift advice, tomorrow you'll be asked to do their laundry and make them dinner."

"Because they are both clueless enough to ever ask me to cook."

"Eh, what do you know, two guys, living alone, they will pounce on any opportunity."

Rory frowned at her mother's reasoning. "Okay, I think it's time to open our presents and then head to Weston's to caffeinate you with candy cane coffee."

Lorelai grinned, getting up from the couch."My favourite daughter, ladies and gentlemen."

* * *

"Hey."

"Catch."

Rory did, somewhat miraculously, manage to catch the package that Jess tossed at her as soon as she opened the door for him.

"Is that how you give people presents?" she asked amusedly.

"Why, did you expect me to come down the chimney? 'Cause we can have a do-over."

"I'm not very big on the idea of having you covered in soot for the rest of the night," she said, and stepped aside to allow him to come into the house where _Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer_ was playing in the background.

He came in and received a peck on the lips, before Rory caught his hand and led him a few steps to the living room. "Look under the tree."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, in this house we tend to put presents under the Christmas tree, not throw them at each other," she teased.

Jess sighed. Crouching by the tree, he pointed to a neatly wrapped package. "That one?"

"It says 'Jess', doesn't it?" she smiled, taking two cushions from the couch and setting them on the floor by the Christmas tree. She plopped down on one of them, gesturing for Jess to do the same.

The two sat there, with their presents in their laps, a little unsure of what to do next, until Rory turned to face him and grinned. "Thank you."

He smirked. "Open it first."

Gently, trying not to damage the wrapping paper, she opened it to reveal two volumes. "Jess! We agreed to get each other one book!"

"But they're thin," he shrugged. "And they go together."

"_Nine Stories_ and _Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction_. I think you just singlehandedly completed my Salinger collection," she beamed, kissing his cheek. "Will I find out what happened to Franny and Zooey's eldest brother?"

"You will."

"Good. Now open yours."

He unwrapped it slowly, like her, and smirked when she started fidgeting nervously. _Jack Kerouac And Allen Ginsberg: The Letters._ He tried to contain the smile that was forcing itself onto his face, but he couldn't.

No words of thanks left his mouth, only, "Where's your mom?"

Rory frowned. "Upstairs, wh-"

But she was cut off by his lips on hers, and when she felt him smile against her lips, she was ready to admit this was the nicest Christmas ever.

Of course, Lorelai chose this moment to come down the stairs, meaningfully clearing her throat.

"Hi," she addressed Jess.

"Hi."

"Merry Christmas."

"You too." He looked down to his book, but Rory gave him a little nudge in the ribcage, followed by a meaningful gaze, and understanding that the quasi-conversation he just made wasn't enough, he looked back up at his girlfriend's mother. "Thanks for, uh, having me here."

Lorelai gave him a somewhat tense smile but a smile nonetheless and disappeared into the kitchen.

"So, how was your Christmas morning?" Rory asked when they were alone again.

"Okay."

"Just okay?"

"I gave Luke the unicorn ladle. The reaction was better than expected, he went red and couldn't mutter a word."

"You're awful," Rory laughed.

"Just starved for entertainment. And then my mom called."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Apparently she never met either me or Luke because she wanted us to sing carols with her over the phone. She says she's good though."

"That's... good," she said cautiously.

He turned to examine her face. She looked uncomfortable. "Hey, I was just stating a fact. I'm not telling you that my mother is a flake because I expect pity."

"I know, it's just... thanks for telling me."

"Aww, don't you look cute, sitting under the tree," Lorelai teased, walking back into the room and handling them a candy cane each. "What did you get?" she asked her daughter excitedly.

"Salinger," Rory grinned at her mother, waving the two books.

"You are the geekiest couple ever."

"That you know," Rory corrected. "Think how adorably geeky John Nash and his wife were in their early years. Or Marie and Pierre Curie," she nudged Jess gently, grinning at him, "hey, discover a new element with me?"

"I think the Shelleys would be easier to pull off," he replied amusedly.

Lorelai looked at them wide-eyed. "Okay, enough already! One, you're being sickeningly cute and two, I don't know who you're talking about."

"I'm pretty sure there are geekier couples on TV, too."

"Mulder and Scully," Jess offered.

"Dick and Anna in _High Fidelity_."

"Batman and Robin."

"You're right," Lorelai decided, after a moment of laughter. "You're not even in the top five." She sat down on the couch and opened a magazine. For the next few minutes all three read in silence, until Lorelai raised her eyes.

"Jess!"

"... Yes?" he looked at her confusedly.

"Where is Luke?"

He frowned. "At home, I guess."

"Alone?"

"Yeah."

"That's just... wrong! You can't spend Christmas Day alone!" she exclaimed and leapt to her feat to grab the phone and quickly dialled.

"She knows our phone number off by heart?" Jess whispered to Rory. She only raised her eyebrows, observing her mother.

"Luke, hi, it's Lorelai! Merry Christmas... I know I told you that yesterday, but you can never say Merry Christmas enough! ...No, I do have a purpose, I wanted to invite you over... Now... Why? Because you are being all sad, spending Christmas afternoon on your own, and I have no one to drink with, being in the house with two starry-eyed teenagers...We'll watch some movies, listen to bad Christmas music, it'll be nice...Good... We'll see you soon." She put the phone down and triumphantly smiled at the said starry-eyed two. "Bow down to my power of persuasion. Even Luke can't resist."

"_Even_ Luke?" Jess inquired with a smirk, but Lorelai didn't catch on his mocking tone.

"Even Luke!"

"Huh."

* * *

This time it was Lorelai who opened the door.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"What's that?" she pointed to the box in Luke's hands.

"Fruitcake."

"Oooh, yum!" She stepped aside to allow him in, and he did, looking around the house.

"This is the most over-decorated place I've ever seen."

"Well, thank you, Grinch."

"Why are they sitting under the tree?" he frowned at Rory and Jess.

"Hi Luke!" Rory called out.

"We're pretending to be presents," Jess gave his uncle an eye roll, while Lorelai stared at him before murmuring, only for Luke to hear, "Oh, he _so_ asked for this."

She grabbed a ribbon and a gift tag from the cupboard and scribbled something on it, then she approached the young couple, took Jess's arm and tied the ribbon around it.

He didn't even look up. "Rory, what is your insane mother doing to me?"

"I think she's tagging you."

"Oh yes, I am," Lorelai replied with an evil grin, then showed her daughter the tag. Rory proceeded to burst out with laughter.

Seeing that the tag read 'Miss Patty', Jess exclaimed, "Ah jeez!" to the complete delight of the other three.

"You know, technically, as his guardian, I really shouldn't allow it," Luke chuckled.

"But it would make Patty so happy!" Lorelai whined. "Wow, I must have had more to drink than I thought because from where I'm standing, it looks like his ears are red."

"Mom, stop being gross and mean," Rory finally defended her boyfriend, even though she was still chuckling.

"Thank you," Jess said grumpily.

"Let's start the movies!"

"Are we gonna watch something good or just something Christmas?" Luke asked resignedly.

"Let's begin with _National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation_ and _Scrooged_ and we'll see from there. Rory, hon, start the tape, I'll just bring something to drink. Luke, Sheridan's?"

"The coffee thing?"

"Yes."

"I'll have a little."

Jess threw his uncle an amused look, but Luke purposely avoided eye contact. The kid knew too much about him.

It took at least five minutes before they all settled down and Rory started the movie.

* * *

By the time the credits of the second movie rolled across the screen, Lorelai and Luke were asleep on the opposite ends of the couch, while the young couple was sitting next to each other on the floor.

"So, what's the verdict?" Rory asked, snuggling closer to Jess.

"Probably some of Bill Murray's greatest work," he answered, tightening his arm around her.

"No, I meant the day. Still hating Christmas?"

"Right now, not so much," he replied and kissed her.

"Come on, Jess, admit it was nice."

"While I still find your mother and Luke's flirting annoying, think that the decorations are ridiculous and I do hate the cheery festive songs... it was the most family Christmas I've ever had," he admitted reluctantly, not meeting her eyes.

"It was for me, too," she assured, squeezing his hand. "Look, it's starting to snow again."

"You think they'll mind if we sneak out for a walk?"

"Are you inviting me for a Christmas walk in the snow?" Rory grinned.

"Only so I can put a snowball down your coat," he grinned back, standing up and walking backwards to the door.

"Oh, you're on, Mariano."


End file.
